Pregnant and breastfeeding women can now have access to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Prior to this extension, the jab was only given to the adolescent population.
According to the Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, both pregnant and breastfeeding women have already taken jabs earlier this week, with another 100,000 doses already being earmarked for this target population. That allotment is being secured via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility.
“What we are working on now is to extend the beneficiaries from the 12 to 18, to include persons who are pregnant and breastfeeding. The new vaccines that we would be getting would be going to that cohort of persons,” Dr. Anthony stated.
The Minister noted also that his ministry is monitoring the approval being sought by manufacturers to have the Pfizer vaccine administered to children between the ages of five and 11. He assured that once the United States Food and Drug Department gives the green light, Guyana will begin inoculating this cohort.
So far, 70.7% (362, 919) of the adult population have taken the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 212, 477 (41.4%) fully vaccinated. Some 25,180 adolescents have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, with 13, 352 fully vaccinated with both doses.
